Burn calories

Cleaning rags instead of dumbbells: housework makes you slim

Vacuuming burns more calories than you think.(Bild: Africa Studio/stock.adobe.com)

Whether it's cleaning windows, vacuuming or mopping: Who likes cleaning? But if you realize that you're getting rid of a lot of calories and doing a free workout at the same time, housework becomes a lot easier. Try it out now and become a cleaner!

We Austrians are cleaning grouches! We have this in common with participants in a survey in nine other countries, according to a recent cleaning study. "I'm too exhausted to clean" is the most common excuse in this country, with 80 percent using it. This puts us in second place. Only the Japanese claim to be too tired to do it more often. The second most common excuse used by Austrians is that there are too many things in the way.

Admittedly, who likes cleaning? However, if you look at it as fitness training that gets rid of a few calories (and not a few at that!), things look different again.

We have examples of this: Did you know that vacuuming can burn up to 150 calories in half an hour? Moving the appliance back and forth also strengthens your entire body, especially your arms and legs. Vacuuming doesn't sound like much of a workout, but you burn around 75 calories in 30 minutes - it's like a short walk, only you're getting rid of dust at the same time. Window cleaning even burns up to 200 calories in an hour. By the way, housework is also a stress killer. So, go for it!